COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/04/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:
Dallas – Anton Khudobin
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux, Matt Roy
Montreal – Joel Armia
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Brandon Sutter, Jalen Chatfield*, Marc Michaelis*
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Jake Debrusk, Boston Bruins; Eric Staal, Montreal Canadiens
Two more names have been added to the Canucks list, meaning 16 of the 22 players on the active roster are now in the COVID Protocol. There are also taxi squad members and several coaches that have tested positive. Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports that so far, no support staffers have tested positive.
*denotes new addition
Vancouver Canucks Re-Sign Jalen Chatfield
The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed defenseman Jalen Chatfield to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2020-21 season. Chatfield was a restricted free agent that was eligible for arbitration but had decided not to file. PuckPedia reports that the deal is worth $700K at the NHL level and $125K in the minor leagues.
Chatfield, 24, was an undrafted free agent signing by the Canucks in 2017 and has spent the last three seasons in the minor leagues with the Utica Comets. He’s been recalled a few times to the NHL but hasn’t actually gotten into a game yet with Vancouver, something that he’s obviously hoping to change this year. The former Windsor Spitfires defenseman has shown basically no offensive ability at the professional level, recording just 18 points in his AHL career, but could still be an injury replacement or taxi squad member this season.
As we discussed earlier today, there remains a group of restricted free agents that aren’t expected to draw huge contracts but still aren’t signed for whatever reason. Like Chatfield, who now at least knows he will be employed in the 2020-21 season, many of those unsigned players can’t know for sure where they will be playing given the uncertainty surrounding the AHL campaign. Several of these short-term two-way deals will likely be signed over the next few weeks, even perhaps for players who have more experience and success than the Canucks defenseman.
Pacific Notes: Oilers, Talbot, Suomela, Canucks
The Oilers intend to see what the free agent market looks like for goaltending before making a decision on Mike Smith, GM Ken Holland told NHL.com’s Tim Campbell. Smith had just a .902 SV% in 39 games this season which is below average for a backup, let alone someone that was brought in to push incumbent Mikko Koskinen for playing time. However, cap space is limited for Edmonton with less than $9MM in cap room and quite a few free agents to contend with beyond Smith. Accordingly, they may need to shop at the lower end of the market to save some money and the fact that the 38-year-old is eligible to sign an incentive-laden deal may be appealing to give them a bit more financial flexibility to work with. A decision on that appears as if it will occur on or after October 9th.
More from the Pacific Division:
- The Flames have yet to present an offer to pending UFA Cam Talbot, the goalie revealed to Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson. The 33-year-old has indicated an interest to remain with Calgary, as long as he’s not in a backup position. This past season, that was his role as he made just 22 starts while David Rittich made the other 48 despite Talbot having the better numbers. The tables flipped in the playoffs, however, as Talbot made all 10 starts and played well, posting a 2.42 GAA with a .924 SV%. A full-fledged starting job may be hard to come by but a platoon position is certainly attainable if he gets to the open market.
- Sharks center Antti Suomela has started skating with HIFK, the SM-liiga team announced. At this time, he’s only skating with them to stay in shape for next season but as their press release indicates, that could change once he gets a deal done with San Jose. The pending restricted free agent had a goal and six assists in 20 NHL games this season while chipping in with five goals and four helpers in 14 AHL contests. If a deal is reached soon, he could join the growing list of players suiting up overseas on loan agreements.
- The Canucks are expected to tender qualifying offers to AHL players Justin Bailey, Jalen Chatfield, and Guillaume Brisebois, reports Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 and The Athletic (Twitter links). Bailey had a career year in the minors with Utica, collecting 28 goals in just 53 games, good for fourth league-wide. The 25-year-old has 65 career games of NHL experience and is eligible for salary arbitration. Meanwhile, Chatfield wrapped up his entry-level deal this past season and had four assists in 48 games. He was recalled on five separate occasions in 2019-20 but didn’t see any NHL action. As for Brisebois, he played in 48 games with Utica this past season, picking up four goals and 11 assists. He didn’t get into any NHL games in 2019-20 but does have eight games of experience from the 2018-19 campaign.